1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to clothing items for children. It is particularly directed to an insulating layer of clothing adapted to be worn by a child that is riding in a car safety seat during cold weather.
2. State of the Art
It is generally recognized that, for safety, infants and small children must be confined to a car seat that is specially adapted for their size when being transported in an automobile. Typically, the child is restrained in the car seat by a safety seatbelt harness system including a number of straps and a releasable strap-fastening system, such as one or more buckle or catch mechanism. During cold weather, it is sometimes desirable to provide a garment forming an additional layer of insulation to augment a child's clothing when riding in a car seat, or when transporting the child from a warm environment to the automobile. Accordingly, a plurality of insulating garments adapted to accommodate a child in a car seat are commercially available. However, the strap system of a car seat imposes safety, comfort, and convenience considerations that are not addressed by certain commercially available insulating garments.
For example, Bundle Me by JJ Cole is not safe according to Car Seat Safety Technicians because the layer under the child is too thick and the openings for the car seat straps alter the angle of the shoulder straps so that when used, the child is not properly restrained. It is made to remain in the car seat so it does not offer a way to completely protect the child from the elements when transporting to and from the car. It also leaves the child completely exposed to the elements while buckling them in their seat.
Further, Teddy Toes by Sisters 3 does not offer a way to completely protect the child from the elements when transporting them to and from the car, is only one layer so not warm enough for cold temperatures, and the child is left completely exposed while buckling them in their seat.
Also, Honu Wrap by Baby Polar Gear does not offer a way to completely protect the child from the elements when transporting them to and from the car, is only one layer so is not warm enough for cold temperatures, and car seat straps must be donned over top of the coat making it unsafe in the car seat and not allowing heat regulation once strapped into the car seat. It also only has two sizes available, 0-3 and 3-6 months.
Finally, North Star Baby Bunting does not offer a way to completely protect the child from the elements when transporting them to and from the car (has only a small flap to cover the face), is only one layer so is not warm enough for cold temperatures, car seat straps must be donned over top of the coat making it unsafe in the car seat and not allowing heat regulation once strapped into the car seat and the star shape adds bulk and does not hold the limbs securely in their place. Also, only two sizes are available, small and large.
Children being taken in and out of the car need to be protected from bitter wind and temperatures. Current products on the market that are safe in the car seat are not thick enough and do not provide a way to shield the child's face from these elements. Parents often try to cover a child with a blanket when going to and from the car, but this can be a huge hassle. The blanket can fall on the ground, be pushed away by the child, and be hard to place to provide complete coverage. Products such as snowsuits can keep the child warm, but are unsafe when used in a car seat. A snowsuit offers resistance across the chest when tightening the straps but in a crash can compress with such force that a child would not be retained properly and could be ejected from the seat.
It would be an improvement to provide a car seat coat that offers a way to keep the child protected when going to and from the car while avoiding necessity to also transport the car seat, allows the child to remain covered while being strapped into the car seat, ensures that the child is properly restrained by not inherently altering the natural angle of the car seat's shoulder straps, and is sufficiently warm to protect against frigid temperatures without being so bulky and compressible as to fail to properly retain a child in the car seat in event of a crash. It would be a further improvement to provide a car seat coat having capability to adjust its inherent insulating ability. It would be a further improvement to provide a car seat coat that permits a more broad range of temperature regulation for a child by permitting variable installation of the child into the car seat coat, and by permitting different configurations providing a plurality of amounts of wrapping of the child.